Making a tiny plea for socialism

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The dwindling of the American middle class has been much documented over the past three decades. Now comes a sobering reminder from the Brookings Institution that middle-class neighborhoods are disappearing even faster than middle-class people. Or, to put it another way, Americans are increasingly sorting themselves geographically into income-based enclaves where the haves and have-nots seldom mingle.

From 1970 to 2000, the proportion of middle-income neighborhoods in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas declined from 58 percent to 41 percent, according to a new Brookings report. That was a faster drop than the metrowide share of middle-income families. Their proportion fell from 28 percent in 1970 to 22 percent in 2000. Given more recent trends in household incomes, it’s likely that the rich-poor gap has continued to widen.

I know that the middle class has been written about a lot.  However, I’ve never seen any stats that the middle class overall is actually shrinking.  That said, I’m not sure why this author is so confused?

Let’s see if I get this right – I have some money but my neighborhood is going down the toilet as crime goes up, the schools are poor, there’s no where to park, my kids have no place to play, I’d like to have my own single family home with grass and a couple of trees, and I want to get away from the noise and the smells.  And the bite of city taxes are rising faster than my income.  But this guy is upset that I want out and don’t want to stick around?  Umm, no.

Read more

Sometimes, I just can’t shut up

Over at Weekend Pundit, DCE has a couple of comments on my Post here about how I feel about the West losing its back bone. 

The one that caught my eye was that of:

We have thousands of nuclear weapons and numerous ways to deliver them with pinpoint accuracy. If the Islamofascists ever made the mistake of using nukes, they will have lost the war, for we would retaliate, and the nascent Caliphate would die in nuclear fire

I’m not so sure that we would use them. Or, at least, it would depend two things:

  1. Who is in the White House
  2. What type of nuclear weapon was used

Right now, we have shown in the last three major conflicts (Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq) that we will not wage total war (think Sherman’s march to the sea during our Civil War, for instance). 

Read more

Dope of the Week: John Edwards

Like a really bad tune that just won’t stop buzzing around in your head, I give you former Democratic vice- presidential nominee Jonathan Edwards. The trial lawyer with "nice hair" doesn’t seem to ever go away… News Advisory: — Former Vice Presidential Democratic Nominee, Sen. John Edwards, To Hold Special Townhall Meeting as Part of … Read more

The Blame Game

There have been murmurings from the readership of our local newspapers  that there has to be a ceasefire in the current conflict between Israel and Hezbullah. I do feel that they are wrong when they states that we are “stubbornly defending Israel’s right to bomb civilian infrastructures.” No, we defend the right of a sovereign nation-state, Israel, to defend itself against a terrorist organization,
Hezbullah. That group established itself within a weak nation-state, Lebanon and hijacked Lebanon’s foreign policy by waging war on Israel by itself without the consent of the host Lebanese government. Its self-proclaimed end point is nothing less the destruction of Israel (similar to that of Hamas in Gaza).

The highest duty of a nation-state is to protect its citizens. Hezbullah, not the US or Israel, should be the target of your scorn, for it was those state-less terrorists that crossed the sovereign border of Israel and killed its citizens and kidnapped two more. I take it that you believe that Israel should have just ignored this attack and allow this to happen? Do you even recognize the ramifications of the word “sovereign” in this event? I take it that you do not support the right of Israel to defend itself?

Read more

Notable Quotes: Abraham Lincoln

From our friends at Refdesk.com comes this Thought of the Day: "The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it have any evil in it; but whether it have more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost every thing, especially of … Read more

No, computers do not solve all problems

From Computerworld: Manager complains to pilot fish [the IT guy -Skip] that "my Internet is broken," so fish stops by his cube. "He wants to know why he can’t find archery supplies on the Internet," says fish. "I give him a stern look — this is on company time — and look at the search … Read more

Gee, enforcing the law? What a concept!

This from Julius Preston at the New York Times:

CINCINNATI, July 30 — Immigration agents had prepared a nasty surprise for the Garcia Labor Company, a temporary worker contractor, when they moved against it on charges of hiring illegal immigrants. They brought a 40-count federal indictment, part of a new nationwide strategy by immigration officials to clamp down on employers of illegal immigrant laborers.

The criminal charges against Mr. Garcia and his company were brought by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security. The campaign has included at least five other federal indictments of business executives in Ohio and Kentucky and has sent payroll managers rushing to re-examine their workers’ papers and rethink plans for their work force.

Your company is breaking the law, and you are surprised? We have had  laws against  hiring illegals – common sense should say "don’t do this!"

It also created a new environment of fear in Ohio’s immigrant communities.

“It’s a very uneasy feeling,” said Sister Teresa Ann Wolf, a Roman Catholic nun who works with immigrant workers in Canton, Ohio. “People are afraid to leave the house to go to the store. They are afraid to come to church.”

Notice the lack of the word illegal before "immigrant"? 

Read more

English – Press what?

I received this from a friend of mine and while many may roll their eyes, others get mad, and others chuckle, it does raise a point.  FINALLY!! An answer to the  de-Americanizing crap that has been suffocating our  country.  A short, concise message  that makes sense. Every business should be required to install this message … Read more

It just seems to be jets….

First the JetBug, then the Jet Scooter, followed by Jet Taxis, and NOW!    The Jet Pack! There seems to be a trend here…….. (H/T: Engadget)   

Ruminations on 7/31/06

CAIR is at it again…..calling Israel "terrorists":

(WASHINGTON, DC, 7/30/06) – A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today said the Bush administration and the international community must act to stop Israel’s campaign of "terror" in Southern Lebanon.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued that call after an Israeli air strike killed at least 57 civilians in the town of Qana, the site of a similar massacre of civilians by Israel a decade ago. (In 1996, an Israeli air strike on a United Nations compound in Qana killed more than 100 civilians who had sought shelter there.) Lebanese officials said the majority of the dead in today’s attack were children. Hundreds of Lebanese civilians have been killed in previous Israeli attacks.

 

 Only one little itty-bitty tiny small problem….CAIR makes no mention of Hezbullah.  Hey, CAIR, shall we talk about the root cause, that Hezbullah causes those civilian casualties by hiding and fighting among them.  Gee, for an "honor" society, they show a lot of cowardice….(H/T: CNSNews)

*****

From Blackfive:

I asked a few of the soldiers how they felt about this war, a war that had begun with an attack on American soil. How did it feel being Canadian leading the fight? The answers were nearly all the same, "It’s time that someone else steps up. The United States shouldn’t have to carry the fight alone. We may be Canadians, but the attack was an attack on our common values and beliefs. The attack of 9-11 was an attack on all of us."

Thank you. It is much appreciated

 

 

Read more

The sissy-fication of War in the West – Part 1

As promised, here is the update to my Post "The changing nature of war, or is the West just starting to catch up?"  Of course, timing is everything and as I was typing, FOX News just switched to the Kofi Annan news conference.  They are also showing film from Israel military sources showing Hezbullah shooting … Read more

The sissy-fication of War in the West – Part 2

Perhaps the length of time from my first Post until now (have been doing technical work [such as I can do it] on our new blog, GilfordGrok) has been helpful.

Have we become too civilized for the horrors of war? Have we become too timid and pacifistic to wage war or defend ourselves?

I now listen to and watch the commentary of the political elites over the the conflict of Israel and Hezbullah.  I do not hear calls for winning from those in the West; rather, I hear that only from those that would first destroy Israel, and then, the West.  From the West, I hear calls of an immediate cease fire, of cessation of hostilities, of laying down arms, of engaging only through diplomacy and talk. I do not hear calls for winning the battle and destroying the enemy.

What comes to mind is a episode from the original Star Trek series called "A Taste of Armageddon".   Being still of a young age when this first ran, I only understood the story line -the visited planet conducted war solely by computer simulation and "human" casualties had to report to disintegration chambers to die.  This allowed the infrastructure remained intact and life went on. When Captain Kirk destroyed the simulation computers (the Enterprise had become ensnared in this scheme), horror breaks out among the elite of that planet, decrying that real war will break out with real horror being meted out.  Unless of course, Captain Kirk points out, they really talk about and solve the real problems.

The overall point was that if one civilizes war too much the underlying causes will go unaddressed.  It becomes too easy to sweep things under the rug, keep ignoring the problems that pop up, and try to accept things as "that’s the way it is".   It becomes too easy to ignore reality and one will do anything to not upset the status quo.  In other words, settle for stability now and worry about real peace sometime later.  If ever.  Maybe the problems will go away on their own…..uh-huh.

Of the industrialized nations, the US spends more on its military than the next 20 countries combined.  We have capabilities that outshine the rest of the world and that gap is only growing.  While we are the lone superpower of the world, have we assumed the title of "cop of the world" as well?  And if so, why has this happened?  All I have to do is look at what the world is saying in the Israeli / Hezbullah conflict – Hey, US, put a stop to it?

My answer is – Hey, how about your turn?

Read more

TGIF

THANK GOD ITS FRIDAY!!!!! Yup, it’s going to be one of those days……must smile, must chuckle…go ahead! (H/T: Karen)  

Air Taxi – Very Light Jets…..faster please!

          Small jet pix is from Eclipse, larger pix is from Honda (note where the engines are positioned!). I am recently retired as a Frequent Flyer….not that I dislike business travel (when held to a reasonable level) but because my job focus has changed.  However, I’ve had my fill of sitting around in airports … Read more

Discrimination works both ways

I was more than a little disturbed when I read this.  In my opinion, this is nothing more than trying to knuckle down a group that has done far more good "for the children" than not in all its years. (Full Disclosure: I was a Cub Scout for a number of years many years ago, but only stayed a year in the Boy Scouts – just didn’t like the guys in the troop).

Here’s the headline:

Diaz seeks ‘dialogue’ with Boy Scouts

The solicitor says his own homosexuality didn’t enter into the city’s effort to force the local chapter to denounce antigay bias.

City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. said a recent push to force the Cradle of Liberty Boy Scouts Council to denounce the national organization’s antigay policy had nothing to do with his own homosexuality.

My problem right off the bat is that I doubt his words that it isn’t based on himself.  And I have a hard time with the phrasing of the tag line, where it tries to protray, automatically, that the Boy Scouts are in the wrong.  And, I believe this is certainly a case where he should be recusing himself because of his sexuality for a conflict of interest. Indeed, this phrase would be screamed out if a "traditionalist" with a chip on his shoulder was persuing a more progressive group. Frankly, this is nothing more than a blatant stab at once again forcing a political correctness mind set on a traditional morals based group that doesn’t want it.

"My own sexuality, my own sexual orientation, has never been hidden and never played into my decision," Diaz said in an interview yesterday with The Inquirer. "It has, perhaps, made me more sensitive to the issues."

"I’m trying to figure out what their policy means. Do they intend to discriminate against openly gay Boy Scouts?" he said.

Ya think? Just a little?  Again, a little "painting" of the issue going on here?  Contrast "…nothing to do with his own homosexuality…" and "….more sensitive to the issues." to "force the local chapter to denounce antigay bias".

Read more

UPDATE3: A man’s home is his castle? Not quite…

After several weeks of waiting, we finally have some news on the story (links at end of this post) about the Nashua man arrested for audiovideo taping police as they stood within that man’s home. And no, at that point, they did not have a warrant- they got that later, after they found out they … Read more

Don’t threaten what is one of my own…

  From Cox and Forkum  Israel pulled back from its south Lebanon buffer zone in 2000 that it had established after Hezbullah kept attacking its northern border, ostensibly trading….land for peace.  Israel pulled out of Gaza, giving in to demands to trade…..land for peace. Hamas from Gaza crosses the border to attack Israeli soldiers.  Hezbullah … Read more

Notable Quotes: Jonah Goldberg

No, Jonah is not of the same "famous" caliber as perhaps our other quoted folks…but I really the quote: "If religion is the opiate of the masses, then the United Nations is the opiate of the elites."  If you want to see what this quote is all about and wrap a contect around it, read … Read more

…are doomed to repeat it

(H/T): The Corner (National Review Online)

From JoshuaPundit:

Once, there was a small nation created by international consensus from the ashes of a world war. It included two main nationalities and it was the only free nation in the region, surrounded by larger neighbors who resented it and coveted its land, which they felt rightfully belonged to them. In spite of that, it was a prosperous and free republic, and its citizens enjoyed one of the highest living standards in that part of the world.

[snip]

The peace plan involved a trade of land for peace, with the former nationals of the larger nation to have an independent state on a large part of the small country`s land.

No one in the Quartet would have considered repatriating the natives of the larger nation back to their original home country, or giving them some of the larger nation`s territory to live on.

When the leaders and diplomats of the small nation protested at this one-sided settlement, they were bullied into acceptance with threats of withdrawal of all aid and military assistance by the very western allies they had counted on for support in preserving their freedom. Instead, they were offered guarantees for the security of their remaining territory.

They were likewise abandoned by the international body that had brought them into existence in the first place. They reluctantly accepted the Quartet`s diktat, counting on the guarantees they were given for their security and territorial integrity. Certain politicians in the small country were even happy at the settlement, since the "occupation" was ended and peace preserved. And the international community congratulated them on making sacrifices and bold moves for peace.

Things are not always what they seem, and history does repeat itself.  Are we willing to put aside Political Correctness, the ability to put aside the equivalence of "stability" for the word "peace"?  

Are we willing to stand up to extortion and blackmail?  I urge you to read the rest….more commentary will happen in a while….. 

Read more

He really thinks OUR taxes are going to fund Mexican development?

Update 2: (7/26/06)

Well, since Carl decided to comment, I needed to do a little more homework… see the comments.  However, I decided to look at the Bill a little bit closer, and indeed, I found two things that allow politicians get off scot-free. See if you can spot them:

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of the Fund shall be–
    (1) to increase the economic competitiveness of North America in a global economy;
    (2) to reduce the income gap between Mexico and Canada, and between Mexico and the United States; and
    (3) to promote economic development in Mexico in the areas of infrastructure, education, technology, and job training.

and

SEC. 7. REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Government of Mexico complies with the criteria described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 5(b), and once every 180 days after such date of compliance and before the finalization of the agreement described in section 2, the President shall submit a report to Congress detailing the progress made by the Government of the United States to establish the Fund in accordance with this Act.

Notice what is missing?  Accountability. 

This is a project – the Fund is supposed to straighten out Mexico (something it doesn’t seem to be able to do for itself).  But how is that to be measured?  Any project manager worth their salt knows that in order to be successful, you need deliverables on a milestone basis.

What this is setting up is that it can do anything, or nothing.  Sure, there is reporting – looks good on paper, doesn’t it?  The only accountability is setting the stupid thing up in the first place.  

Then what?  If the US gov’t, because of its size and special interests,  cannot get things right in a lot of areas, what gives anyone the idea that three countries (one of which is failing) will succeed?  Yes, NATO succeeds only because its mission is singular.  NO if you look at the UN, and the EU ain’t such a hot place economically or from a democratic standpoint either (ever notice that most of the EU ministers and minions are, for the most part, unelected?).

 

 

 

UPDATE 1: (7/26/06)

The Senate bill can be found here .

 ====================================

Sorry, I am in a real snarky mood today….and now Senator Cornyn (R-Texas) has the gall to try this:

Cornyn wants US taxpayers to fund Mexican development – North American Investment Fund" 

How would this be done?  Listen to his pitch:

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has quietly introduced a bill to create a "North American Investment Fund" that would tap U.S. and Canadian taxpayers for the development of public works projects in Mexico.

Has all the oxygen gone out of the air in Washington!?!?!?!

Read more

Share to...
BufferCopyFlipboardHacker NewsLineLinkedInMastodonMessengerMixPinterestPrintRedditSMSTelegramTumblrVKWhatsAppXingYummly